1278 days
It was dark, sandy, depressing, all the time. The planet that Mallory had been stuck on for years, one of two humans on this planet. The other human was named Will. He had started taking care of Mallory as soon as they found each other. After all she was only 9, she was small for nine years old. It had been 3 and a half years, 1278 days, since Mallory had found herself on this planet accidentally. She was home, in her parents lab, next thing she knew, she was here. She was on a desert planet with an evil on it that haunted her and Will everyday.
One day, Will left Mallory in their cave, their home, alone. He went off trying to find supplies for them. Along with supplies, he returned with a beautiful brunette woman with chocolate brown eyes. He had sedated her, or something, Mallory figured. She wasn’t aggressive as Will had taught her that all others we’re. The little girl hid behind the walls but close enough to hear him speak to the woman. She was afraid. Terrified. Mallory overheard the following:
“You certainly came here prepared”, the woman said looking around at all their supplies, “Wish I’d had time to pack, but my trip was rather unexpected.”
“You come here alone?” Will says standing over the woman, his back facing Mallory.
“Yes, I’m alone. Are you?”
Will doesn’t answer. He doesn’t wanna reveal his secret without knowing he can trust her. All he knows is that Mallory needs to be safe at all costs.
There’s a pause and the woman asks, “How long have you been here?”
“I don’t know, my watch broke quickly, and it’s hard to keep track of the days without a sun. What year is it?”
“2015. You’re an astronaut. If NASA sent you, they must know how to bring you back, right?” She pauses and looks around once more, “This equipment is ancient. I know NASA has funding issues, but you’d think they’d upgrade for a mission like this.”
“It was new at the time…”
“What year did you come here?”
“2001.” He says slowly.
“My god. You’ve been here 14 years.”
Mallory tunes out the rest of the conversation, she doesn’t see any point in eavesdropping. She knows she will be apart of the conversation when it’s time. When Will thinks it’s time. Later that night, the woman whom still doesn’t have a name is asleep. Will comes to Mallory’s makeshift bedroom he had made her. He knocks on the wall, as there is no door, and stands in the doorway.
She sits up and smiles, “Hi. Is she a prisoner?” She peers over to try and spot the woman.
Will gives a little chuckle as he sits on the foot of her sleeping mat, “No, no. She’s human. One of us. She isn’t it. She seems kind. I’ll introduce you soon. Just wanna keep you safe, Mal.”
She nods along and gives him a little smile. She gives a small pause and asks, “She wants to go to the no-fly zone, right?”
Will nods, “Yeah… But she won’t. I won’t. You won’t.”
“Promise?”
“I promise.” He puts his hand gently on her shoulder, “Alright monkey, time to sleep.”
Mallory gets under the covers and eventually falls asleep. Will goes to his sleeping mat and moves it near the woman’s. He needs to be able to watch her, to protect Mallory.
Mallory wakes up. Day 2 of the mystery woman being in their fake living room. Will brought her some food, she smiled and ate it gratefully. Then he brought some to the woman whom he’d untied. She was writing a lot, looked like adult math, or science, Mallory didn’t really know.
Day 3, Mallory watches as she writes and watches the same video repeatedly. A video of her friends wishing her a happy birthday. They call her, Jemma. Mallory deemed that this may be her name.
Day 4, Jemma still has no idea Mallory exists. Will stays up, talking to Jemma about their pasts. He comes and talks to Mallory when Jemma sleeps. The birthday video still playing multiple times an hour.
Day 5, Will went out for food. He hunts for some of their meals. Jemma and Mallory alone in the cave, still no recollection of each other. Living side by side, but apart.
Day 6, Mallory begs to meet her. To actually meet her, not watch her from afar creepily. Will caved. Mal hid behind the wall once again eavesdropping on Will telling Jemma about Mallory existing this entire time.
“Jemma?” Will asked with hesitation walking towards the brunette.
She turns with a kind smile, putting her notebook down, “Hi Will. What’s wrong?”
“Look, I’m sorry, but I’ve been hiding something. I hope you understand. I thought it was best, please don’t be mad…” He keeps rambling and rambling until Jemma stops him.
“Will? Stop. Tell me.”
“There’s someone else here… I wanted to protect her so I never told you. She begged me to meet you but I’ve said no until now.”
Jemma nods, in shock. Will smiles and signals Mallory to come out from behind the wall. Jemma’s gaze softened immediately when she saw it was a child. Jemma smiled looking beyond Will, she gave a small wave.
Mallory ran over and gave Jemma a hug. Jemma was shocked but hugged her back graciously. She realized how badly that girl needed a hug. Mallory releases and sits next to Will, facing Jemma.
Jemma stares at the beautiful little girl with big dark brown eyes, “I’m Jemma. Jemma Simmons. It is so very nice to meet you.”
Mallory looks up to Will and back at Jemma, “I’m Mallory. I’ve been here for almost 4 years. I know this place is scary.”
Jemma absolutely melts at this comment. How could such a little girl hold so much compassion for someone whom she just met. How could she be so intelligent, Jemma asked herself.
A few months later, the 3 had become a sort of family unit. Mallory sat by Jemma all day long as she tried to get them home and Jemma read Mallory bedtime stories. Will went out every few days and the girls stayed back finding joy in every little thing they could.
“What happened?” Will asked Jemma as she held a dead technologic object he didn’t recognize and that Mallory didn’t recognize. She just knew the birthday video was on there.
“It died, but it’s in a better place now.” Jemma said smiling sadly at them.
“You get anything?”
“We got one, there, 18 days from now.” She claims writing in her notepad.
“Why did it have to be there? That’s the no-fly zone. It’s a 40-hour hike, at least. There’s a canyon 30 meters wide waiting for us. It’s impossible to cross, Jemma. We’ll never make it.” Will says looking down.
“I think we can! Will, please try, Let us try.” Mallory begs.
“Didn’t you say you can’t resist doing something when the odds are impossible?” Jemma utters with the little girl on her lap.
“I knew that snake would come back to bite me.” He takes a pause, “So, this portal, how do we know it’s not just a door that swings one way?” He questions.
“I think it acts more like a valve. On Earth, it seemed to open randomly, but it only appeared random from our point of view.”
“What opens it?” He interrogates Jemma as he prepares lunch for Mallory.
“The moons. Their degree of alignment affects the portal the way our moon affects the tides, ‘causing it to ebb and flow, pulling things in and out.” She smiles down at Mallory, “Basically, when they line up, it’s like the moon making the ocean waves go in and out, pulling things in and out of the portal.” She explains so Mallory could understand.
“So, the portal opens, we just jump right through, go with the flow?”
Jemma nods. The two adults keep discussing the plan as Mallory slowly falls into a deep sleep on the woman’s lap.
The next day, the trio heads out to try Jemma’s theory. To try and get back home.
Jemma stops abruptly on the way to the portal spot, “Oh. This can’t be it. We made a mistake. We went the wrong way.”
“This is the spot, but…” He declares, exhausted. He had been carrying Mallory on his back for miles.
“You said it was 30 meters wide! There’s no way we can cross that. That’s more like 100 meters. Unless there was some significant earthquake…”
“It doesn’t want us to leave.”
Mallory pipes up, “It watches us, Jemma. It wants us to stay.”
“There it is! It’s opening! There has to be a way to make that. We didn’t come this far to fail. Come Mal, get on my back.”
Mallory jumps down and hops onto hers as Will starts to act.
“Maybe we don’t have to get there. Hand me the bottle. We can fire it right into the portal. If it’s not dragging any rope, it might just make it.”
He throws it and the portal closes.
“We’re never going home.”
Mallory gives Jemma’s head a small kiss, Jemma smiles up at her through her anger and sadness.
“Maybe this is our home now.”
“This isn’t a home. This is hell.” She starts walking back to the cave, “You were right. There’s no hope on this planet.”
“That’s what I used to think. Then Mallory showed up. Then you showed up.” Will declares giving a slight smile to Jemma and Mallory.
Months later, it was time to try again. A new portal. A new chance to go home.
“Jemma, you’re ready?” He questions.
“Relax. We’re not going to miss it. I’m the one who did the maths, remember? Even if we do miss it, there’ll be another one in 18 years. Mallory, stay by me. I’m not leaving you here.”
Mallory climbs onto her back, holding on tightly. She couldn’t imagine being left here alone.
“Pretty good spot for a sunrise, huh?” He walks up to the girls putting a hand on Mal’s shoulder.
Mallory giggles and looks down sadly as she rests her head on Jemma’s shoulder.
“Mal? Hey, talk to me. What’s wrong?” Will said rubbing her back as Jemma looked at her with concern.
“What if one of us doesn’t make it? What if one of us gets stuck here alone?”
“Mallory, we will all be okay. No matter what happens, we will be okay. You and Jemma will get out of here if it’s the last thing I do. Even if that means I stay.”
Mallory looks down with small tears in her eyes, “I love you. Thank you for taking care of me.”
Tears fall down his face and gives her a small kiss on the forehead.
“I think my dad would’ve liked you. Sometimes, you remind me…”, Jemma pauses, “It’s Fitz! He found a way! We’re going home! Come on! We can make it! It’s just over the ridge!”
“Jemma! Jemma, stop! Get back here! Jemma, stop!”
“Will, come on. What are you doing?!” The portal starts opening up, “Oh, no. Not now.”
“Jemma, go. Take Mal. You can make it.”
“ I’m not going without you! Will! Will! Will! They came for you! It wasn’t Fitz! It’s one of yours!”
“Jemma, run! It’s not what you think it is! Just take Mal and go!”
“No!”
“Yes, you can make it. Go!”
“No! No! No! Will!”
“Go, Jemma!” He gives her a small push making sure they both make it through.
“Will! Will! No! Will!”
Mallory cries as they go through the portal. Jemma hugs her also crying over having to leave him behind. They fall together right where Jemma was when she was taken months ago.
“Jemma! Jemma, are you there?!” Mallory recognizes the voice from the birthday video. It was Fitz. Jemma’s best friend.
“Fitz?!”
“Jemma!”
“I don’t know what happened to him…” She says sadly, Mallory still gripping onto her back. She doesn’t know why Will didn’t try harder.
“Jemma!” Fitz yells once again.
“… if he’s alive or dead. But I never would have survived without him. Talk to me, Fitz. Please. Oh, God. Please, Fitz, I need you to understand.”
“I understand everything, Jemma.” He assures her.
“Well, then why won’t you talk to me? What are you doing?”
“We’re gonna get him back.” Fitz assured Jemma.
Mallory was shaking, full body shakes. She hadn’t felt so scared since she was taken to the desert planet. She was in a weird lab filled with unusual things, with someone she doesn’t know yelling. She’s without will for the first time in almost 5 years. With all the fear and the trauma, Jemma had almost forgotten about the girl who had clinged to her aggressively.
Jemma reaches behind her and lifts Mallory to the front, the little girl shaking profusely, Jemma wraps her arms around her and kisses her head trying to stop the shaking.
“You’re okay.” She repeats, whispering into the little’s ear.
Fitz, not knowing who this child was, stares in shock. He didn’t know what to say. He stayed silent and still. That was until Jemma asked for a blanket, she wanted to warm her. To make her feel safe in such an uncomfortable situation to her.
While Fitz left to grab the blanket, Mallory spoke up, “Is this home?...”
Jemma, still holding her tightly, “This is my home. I hope it can be yours, if you want it to be.”
Mallory nods and leans back into Jemma’s arms, “Will your friend find Will?”
Jemma looks at the little trying not to cry, “Yes. We will get him back. Fitz will help. Everyone will help.”
Fitz comes back with the blanket, handing it to Jemma. She wraps Mallory in it completely. Fitz being so freaked out when he left to get the blanket, alerted other agents. May, Coulson, Daisy, Bobbi and Mack come in. They see Jemma, joy spreads across their faces. They all look down to the girl, shock and confusion spreads across their faces.
Jemma gets up, not letting go of Mallory’s hand for a single moment, “Hi. I’ve missed you all.”
Daisy runs over and wraps her arms around Jemma, “I’m so glad you’re okay. So glad.”
Jemma giggles and the whole team takes turns hugging and welcoming Jemma back.
Everyone finishes their homecoming and Bobbi speaks up, “Not to be that person but can we mention the elephant in the room?” She looks down to Mallory who was slightly hiding behind Jemma.
Jemma smiles, “Everyone… I’d like you to meet Mallory. I found her along with her sorta adoptive father back on the other side of that portal. She’s 9, 10 in a few months.”
The team smiles at the little girl. Daisy bends down to her level, “Hi Mallory. I’m Daisy. Are you hungry? I’ve got some chocolate in my room.”
Mallory looks up to Jemma with a big smile and back at Daisy.
“Go, sweet girl. Daisy will take good care of you. I will still be here afterwards, I’ll come find you, okay?” Jemma says gently.
Daisy reaches for Mallory’s hand and she grabs it confidently. The two walk hand in hand to Daisy’s room as the rest of the team flock to Jemma to make sure she is physically okay.
Back in Daisy’s room, Mallory is sitting on the corner of the bed eating a KitKat. Daisy sitting across from her with a huge smile.
“So… Mallory, right? You’re so beautiful.”
Mallory smiles and scooches over to sit closer to Daisy, “You’re beautiful. Can I look like you when I’m older?”
Daisy giggles and reaches out to hold her hand. Mallory grasps it.
“Are you hurt, Mallory?” Daisy questions.
“I don’t get hurt. Well, I do, but it goes away right after.” Mallory answers still eating her chocolate bar.
Daisy thinks of how odd that is but moves on slowly. The two spend the day together until Jemma comes to get Mallory that night.